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Christ  and  the  Apostles  Stand 

or  Fall  With  Moses  and 

the  Prophets 


Or  Fm 


r'^^. 


By  E.  P.  MARVIN 


*     FEB    1   1906 


^ 


I.OCKPORT,  N.  Y.: 

Union-Sux  Company,  Printkrs, 

1906 


Christ  and  the  Apostles 
Stand  or  Fall  with 
Moses  and  the  Prophets 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CASE  STATED. 

Unitarians,  Universalists  and  Infidels  are  shouting 
on  the  work  of  the  "Higher  Critics."  Infidels  seem 
to  be  taking  a  complacent  rest,  apparently  imagining 
that  men  better  located  for  their  work  are  doing  it 
more  efficiently.  Men  within  the  camp,  solemnly  set 
apart  for  the  defense  of  the  Gospel,  set  themselves 
apart,  let  us  hope  unwittingly,  for  its  destruction. 

The  latest  phases  of  incipient  infidelity  are  wrought 
out  by  our  mortar-board  masters  of  what  President 
Patton  calls,  "Rip  and  Tear  Theology."  These  men, 
departing  from  the  faith  and  from  their  covenant 
vows,  make  the  Genesis  of  the  Bible  the  Genesis  of 
their  destructive  work,  turning  the  intellect  of  the 
natural  man  loose  on  divine  Revelati<^n. 

Next  in  rank  we  have  conceited  and  popular  pulpi- 
teers, exploiting  these  pleasing  and  seductive  errors. 
With  a  prudent  regard  for  "the  Seven  Great  Princi- 
ples"— the  Five  Loaves  and  the  Two  Fishes,  they 
employ  expert  finesse,  half  revealing  and  half  conceal- 
ing.    Their  sermons  contain  some  good  ethics  but  a 


poverty  of  Gospel  truth,  and  their  congregations  de- 
cline in  evangelical  faith  and  spiritual  life. 

We  now  have,  following  in  their  train,  teachers  of 
Men's  Bible  Classes,  retailing  these  skeptical  theories 
which  were  fairly  and  frequently  answered  in  the 
days  of  Voltaire,  Hume  and  Paine.  Some  sincere 
young  men  are  amazed,  confused  and  confounded  by 
this  treatment  of  the  oracles  of  God,  and  some  who 
are  underdone,  think  that  men  who  can  thus  handle 
the  Bible  must  know  everything.  Thus  the  work 
goes  down  from  the  scholastic  expert  to  the  bungling 
imitator. 

We  are  told  that  "we  must  unload  the  legendary 
absurdities,  unscientific  statements  and  supernatural 
incidents  of  the  Old  Testament  before  intelligent  men 
will  believe  it,  and  hold  the  later  revelation  of  the 
New  Testament,  especially  the  teachings  of  Jesus." 

Where  will  this  destructive  criticism  lead?  Will 
not  consistent  logic  and  progressive  courage  drive  the 
plowshare  through  the  whole  Book  ? 

Personally  and  socially  most  of  these  men  are  ami- 
able, and  while  we  must  "rebuke  them  sharply,"  we 
must  also  pray  for  them  kindly  with  divine  compas- 
sion. Some  of  them  have  returned  to  the  true  faith, 
but  our  chief  hope  is  in  counteracting  their  destruc- 
tive influence  on  sincere  disciples  who  are  drifting 
away  from  the  faith. 

They  make  God's  word  a  patchwork,  a  polychrome, 
a  babel,  a  composit  of  divine  folly  and  human  cred- 
ulity, and  the  most  of  those  who  begin  this  destruc- 
tive work,  progress  rapidly  in  it  toward  the  end  of 
Revelation. 

Naturalism  has  its  root  in  estrano-ement  from  God 


and  rationalism,  and  it  reasons  out  the  supernatural. 
Broad-minded  reasoning  is  the  vogue  of  the  Broad 
Way.  These  men  may  be  intellectual  giants,  but  they 
are  spiritual  degenerates.  They  make  light  of  creeds, 
but  Christ  testifies  that  life  and  death  are  joined  to 
belief  and  unbelief.  If  error  is  harmless,  truth  is 
worthless. 

They  may  claim  to  be  constructive,  but  their  work 
tears  down  and  their  architecture  is  like  the  sky  par- 
lors of  Fairyland.  They  expect  to  destroy  the  mole 
sin  by  destroying  the  cave  ignorance. 

They  exalt  the  "  Magnificent  Manhood  of  Christ," 
and  hold  up  the  exalted  "Object  Lesson"  of  His  Life. 
They  are  eloquent  on  Sociology  and  on  the  "Rise  and 
Progress"  of  the  race.  They  beam  with  optimism 
like  those  Oriental  "darlings  of  the  morning."  They 
have  a  smart  contempt  for  "old  fogies"  and  "belated 
Puritans."  They  glory  in  the  gospel  of  modern  cul- 
ture, and  advanced  civilization. 

When  culture,  like  Mary,  sits  humbly  at  the  feet 
of  the  Master,  God  blesses  culture;  but  when  she 
becomes  the  harlot  of  infidelity,  let  her  be  Anathama 
Maranatha.  Divine  truth  must  be  spiritually  dis- 
cerned. The  Gospel  makes  more  of  the  blood  of 
Christ  than  the  brains  of  man.  God  says  in  Ps.  119: 
13,  "I  hate  vain  thoughts."  Thank  God,  we  have 
many  devout  and  masterly  students  of  the  Word  who 
match  and  overmatch  these  scholars. 

In  general,  what  is  new  in  "Higher  Criticism"  is 
not  true  and  what  is  true  is  not  new.  We  make  pro- 
gress by  adding  new  truth  without  destroying  the  old. 
Truth  has  no  tenses.  They  believe  in  all  sorts  of 
"progress,"  and  seem  to  be  lured  by  the  motto:  "Any- 


where,  Lord,  provided  it  be  forward."  They  use  some 
Scripture  phraseology,  and  having  a  liberal  conscience, 
as  well  as  a  liberal  belief,  they  sometimes  preach  an 
orthodox  sermon  to  quiet  "the  old  fogy  element." 

They  pass  lightly  over  the  great  Gospel  themes  of 
Ruin,  Redemption  and  Regeneration.  They  do  not 
emphasize  the  fundamental  fact  that  the  Old  Creation 
is  a  moral  ruin,  and  the  remedy  is  not  natural  evolu- 
tion, but  a  New  Creation.  They  repudiate  the  ortho- 
dox hell  with  the  double  logic,  that  God  is  too  good 
to  damn  man  and  man  is  too  good  to  be  damned. 
They  are  sky-high  optimists,  building  air  castles  like 
the  resplendant  halls  of  Valhalla.  The  natural  pro- 
gress of  the  race  is  to  bring  in  a  Paradise  superior  to 
the  one  that  Adam  lost.  Their  geese  are  swans  and 
their  sparrows  are  eagles.  They  love  freedom  from 
the  tyranny  of  antiquated  dogma,  and  they  are  not 
hampered  by  humility. 

They  tell  us  of  the  divine  element  in  human  na- 
ture, exalt  Christ  as  the  model  man,  and  hope  in  de- 
velopment. Such  theories,  that  dishonor  Christ  and 
exalt  man,  logically  head  up  in  Antichrist.  They 
seem  to  esteem  any  man  as  about  right  who  calls  God 
his  Father  and  all  mankind  his  brothers. 

The  common  Fatherhood  of  God  and  Universal 
Brotherhood  of  Man  ignores  the  Fall  and  the  necessity 
of  a  new  birth.  It  exalts  the  natural  man  to  assume 
a  character  and  standing  that  he  does  not  possess. 
Neither  the  Old  nor  the  New  Testament  teaches  it. 

These  "Higher  Critics"  on  the  Word  of  God  are 
generally  "Lower  Critics"  on  popular  worldliness. 
They  are  very  liberal  towards  the  world.  They  easily 
become  worldly  to  catch  worldlings.     They  magnify 


the  love  and  mercy  of  God  and  minify  his  holiness 
and  justice.  They  feed  with  husks  people  who  are 
perishing  with  hunger.  Sometimes  they  come  out 
into  the  open  and  disclose  God  and  Bible  dishonoring 
heresies,  presuming  on  the  ignorance  or  charity  of 
the  people. 

Churches  that  receive  their  evolutionary  Sociology 
will  go  out  of  the  "Great  Commission  Business"  and 
lapse  into  a  confederacy  of  clubs  and  trumpery  socie- 
ties called  an  "Institutional  Church,"  house-keeping 
with  the  w^orld. 

These  men  of  false  science,  false  logic  and  false 
theology  are  "up-to-date"  in  the  fulfillment  of  the 
Prophecies  of  the  "last  days"  of  the  dispensation. 

We  do  not  engage  in  "a  strife  of  tongues"  or  "a 
squabble  over  trifles,"  but  we  contend  about  essential 
differences,  far  greater  than  any  between  evangelical 
denominations.  We  proclaim  a  grand  Redemption, 
founded  on  a  tragedy  of  divine  blood,  as  the  only  hope 
of  lost  men. 

It  is  unfair  to  look  up  to  the  "  Higher  Critics"  and 
look  down  upon  infidels. 

In  general,  as  has  been  repeatedly  shown,  "Higher 
Criticism"  is  the  ghost  of  Paine,  masquerading  in 
academic  mortar-board  and  priestly  gown,  and  Infi- 
delity is  its  guardian  Angel. 

Honesty  and  consistency  would  lead  every  so-called 
"Higher  Critic"  to  throw  off  the  mask  and  peacefully 
leave  the  orthodox  church. 


CHAPTER  11. 

HIGHER  CRITICISM  DISPROVED  BY  THE  BIBLE. 

Christ  and  the  Apostles  stand  or  fall  with  Moses 
and  the  Prophets. 

The  Bible  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles  was  the  Jew- 
ish canon,  scrupulously  preserved,  firmly  believed,  and 
always  honored  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles.  Moses 
was  a  type  of  Christ,  and  he  would  no  sooner  write 
myths  and  legends  for  truth  than  Christ  would.  We 
believe  both  on  infallible  proofs.  Acts  3:  22.  I^ype 
and  antitype  fit  like  hand  and  glove. 

One  and  the  same  God  is  the  author  of  both  Testa- 
ments. They  interpret  each  other  and  stand  or  fall 
tog-ether.  What  God  hath  joined  together  let  not 
man  put  asunder.  The  Old  Testament  is  the  New 
enfolded,  and  the  New  is  the  Old  unfolded. 

We  do  not  substitute  slender  inferences  and  specu- 
lative conjectures  for  infallible  evidences,  making  a 
reconstructed  and  a  fictitious  Bible.  Agnosticism  is 
the  only  true  goal  of  this  progressive  criticism. 
Its  trend  is  toward  the  rejection  of  the  supernatural 
and  all  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity. 

Christ  and  the  Apostles  in  the  heavenlies,  outrank 
the  critics  in  our  unsanctified  halls  of  learning. 

The  human  element  in  Scriptures  does  not  impair 
the  infallibility  of  divine  inspiration,  nor  justify  law- 
less exegesis. 

Christianity  itself  stands  or  falls  with  these  Old  and 
New  Testament  Witnesses  united.  If  the  truthful- 
ness and  authority  of  the  one  is  false,  that  of  the  other 
is  just  as  certainly  so,  and  our  faith  and  hope  are  vain. 
Moses  made  mistakes,  Christ  did  also.  Are  not  these 
critics  more  likely  to  be  mistaken  than  they  ? 

6 


The  Bereans  tested  preachers  by  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures.     Acts  7:  ii. 

Let  us  first  hear  a  word  of  Jesus  Christ  spoken  to 
the  Jews  :  "  Had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have 
believed  Me."  John  5:  46.  He  would  therefore  as 
certainly  say  to  the  destructive  critics  today  :  *'  Had 
ye  believed  Me,  ye  would  have  believed  Moses."  Is 
this  not  as  clear  as  a  demonstration  in  Euclid  ?  Ought 
not  this  alone  to  be  sufficient  ? 

The  New  Testament  contains  more  than  three  hun- 
dred direct  quotations  from  the  Old,  and  over  five 
hundred  allusions.  Christ  quotes  sixty  times  from 
the  Pentateuch.  Christ  and  the  Apostles  certify  many 
parts  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  and  point  out  no 
mistakes  in  them.  The  Bible  is  "God-breathed," 
with  a  unique  inspiration,  heaven  high  above  that  of 
Shakespeare. 

Here  are  a  few  of  many  events  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, quoted  and  sanctioned  in  the  New  :  Creation, 
the  Flood,  Abel,  Enoch,  the  Calling  and  Career  of 
Abraham,  Sodom  and  Lot's  Wife,  Cain  and  Abel, 
Bondage  and  Miracles  in  Egypt,  Passage  of  the  Red 
Sea,  Giving  of  the  Law,  the  Manna,  the  Brazen  Ser- 
pent, Samson,  the  Den  of  Lions,  and  the  Fiery  Fur- 
nace. Read  Hebrews  nth  for  a  catalogue  of  godly 
heroes  and  miraculous  events  found  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  no  utterance  nor  record- 
ed event  of  the  Old  Testament  is  discredited  in  the 
New.  Certainly  Christ  and  the  Apostles  were  not 
like  our  "  Higher  Critics."  Moses  and  the  Prophets 
again  and  again  claim  that  God  spoke  to  them  and 
by  them,  and  Christ  and  the  Apostles  repeatedly  con- 


firm  the  claim.  David  said  :  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
spake  unto  me,  and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue.  II. 
Sam.  23:  2.  Christ  says  that  David  spake  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Mark  22:  36.  He  came  to  fulfill  the 
law  and  the  Prophets.  Matt.  5:  17.  All  things  must 
be  fulfilled  which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms  concerning 
Me.  Acts  24:  44.  Beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the 
Prophets.  Luke  24:  27.  O  foolish  and  slow  of  heart 
to  believe  all  that  the  Prophets  have  spoken.  Luke 
24:  25.  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  etc. 
Luke  16:  29-31.  Had  ye  believed  Moses  ye  would 
have  .believed  Me.  John  5:  46.  Christ  is  the  sure 
key  and  supreme  testator  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Paul  says  :  God  spake  in  time  past  by  the  Prophets. 
Heb.  1:1.  All  Scripture  is  giving  by  inspiration  of 
God.  II.  Tim.  3:  16.  In  Acts  24:  14  he  says:  Be- 
lieving all  things  which  are  written  in  the  law  and 
in  the  Prophets 

Peter  says :  Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.     II.  Pet.  i:  21. 

The  miraculous  and  virgin  birth  of  Christ  is  a  fun- 
damental truth,  found  in  prophecy  and  detailed  in 
the  Gospels,  and  no  man  can  deny  this  miracle  with- 
out removing  the  keystone  of  the  Gospel. 

Mark  the  significant  fact  that  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
foresaw  the  present  attacks  on  the  Old  Testament, 
Christ  and  the  Apostles  quote  and  certify  many  of 
those  events  most  frequently  denied  and  ridiculed. 

"  The  Rib  Story."  Paul  says  the  man  was  created 
first  and  the  woman  was  from  the  man.  I.  Tim.  2: 
13  ;  I.  Cor.  n:  8. 


"The  Serpent  Temptation."  Paul  says  the  ser- 
pent beguiled  Eve.     II.  Cor.  11:3. 

"The  Sacrifice  of  Isaac."  Paul  certifies  this  in 
Heb.  11:  17. 

"  Balaam  and  the  Ass."  Peter  says,  the  dumb  ass, 
speaking  with  man's  voice,  forbade  the  madness  of 
the  Prophet.     11.  Pet.  2:  16. 

And  now  we  come  to  those  who  dishonor  the  Holy 
Oracles  of  God  and  the  Son  of  God,  by  calling  Jonah 
a  fictitious  and  a  humorous  book,  as  one  has  said  : 
"  Comparable  to  the  Biglow  Papers." 

Christ  declares  that  Jonah  was  a  sign  of  his  death 
and  resurrection,  and  that  Nineveh  repented  at  his 
preaching.  Matt.  12:  39-41  and  16:  4,  also  Luke  11: 
30.  Therefore,  no  man  can  deny  the  historic  truth 
of  that  book  without  impeaching  the  knowledge  or 
veracity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  solemn  and  fearful 
fact! 

Is  it  possible  that  these  men,  calling  themselves 
Christians,  can  suppose  in  serious  and  thoughtful 
moments,  that  they  are  guided  by  the  Spirit  and  do- 
ing the  will  of  God  ? 

Our  momentous  contention  is,  that  Christianity 
itself  must  stand  or  fall  with  Moses  and  the  Prophets, 
as  certainly  as  with  Christ  and  the  Apostles. 


CHAPTER  IIL 

WAYMARKS  AND  REMARKS. 


Some  good  brother  may  say :  "  Let  us  not  stop  to 
argue  with  these  critics,  but  go  right  on  preaching 
the  gospel  and  saving  souls. 


Vve  reply,  that  when  these  men  have  undermined 
the  faith  of  the  people,  we  cannot  save  souls.  Their 
preaching  saves  no  souls. 

Some  may  not  see  it  at  first,  but  pointing  out  the 
mistakes  of  Moses  is  pointing  the  way  to  absolute  in- 
fidelity and  final  perdition.  There  is  no  salvation  but 
by  the  obedience  of  faith,  near  the  cross  and  away 
from  this  destructive  criticism. 

The  "  New  Evangelism  "  does  not  and  cannot  save 
souls.  This  counterfeit  gospel  does  not  convict  of 
sin  and  lead  to  repentance  and  Christ,  for  pardon  does. 
No  "great  revival "  is  possible  in  the  presence  of  this 
false  criticism. 

The  great  enemy  of  souls  may  say  :  "  Jesus  I  know 
and  Paul  I  know,  but  who  are  ye?" 

Ethical,  elocutionary  and  evolutionary  evangelism 
is  vain,  be  it  never  so  proudly  "up-to-date."  Strong 
preachers  are  biblical  preachers,  with  sermons  that 
hold  the  Bible  in  solution.  No  painted  scenery  of  art 
and  man's  device,  can  take  the  place  of  the  crimson 
cross  of  Calvary.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  greater  power 
than  cultured  brains  and  silver  tongues. 

Progress  in  the  wrong  direction  is  like  speed  in  a 
blind  horse  rushing  to  a  catastrophe.  The  develop- 
ment of  the  "  inherent  forces  of  human  nature  "  into 
a  golden  age,  is  man's  theory  of  the  ages,  but  crea- 
tion, providence  and  redemption  mark  God's  wondrous 
plan.  We  are  not  promised  a  scientific,  social  and 
man-made  millennium.  Jehovah  is  not  the  slave  of 
evolution. 

The  Bible  differs  from  all  other  books  because  God 
wrote  it.  Its  divine  authorship,  established  by  many 
infallible  proofs,  ensures  its  truthfulness  and  estab- 


lishes  its  authority.  It  is  quick  and  powerful,  a  liv- 
ing organism,  and  the  effort  of  profane  hands  to 
dissect  it  is  death. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  guide  us  into  all  truth, 
and  we  are  commanded  to  hold  fast  the  form  of  sound 
words.     II.  Tim.  i:  13. 

Divine  truth  is  absolutely  imperial.  You  may 
wrest  or  twist  it,  but  you  cannot  make  it  adapt  itself 
to  your  sinful  wish  or  will.  It  is  the  bright  and 
changeless  searchlight  of  God  Almighty.  It  is  the 
complete  analysis  of  the  whole  man.  The  "modern 
world  "  out  of  Christ,  with  all  its  culture,  civilization 
and  stupendous  achievements,  is  as  far  from  God  as 
the  barbaric  states  of  antiquity. 

The  natural  man  is  a  natural  failure.  A  man  in 
doubt  of  such  fundamental  truth  or  in  a  "  transition 
state,"  is  never  called  of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel. 
Rom.  14:  23. 

Without  sound  doctrine  we  can  neither  have  a  true 
gospel  of  salvation  nor  a  healthy  spiritual  life.  These 
critics  do  not  make  the  Bible  a  blessing.  We  prize, 
and  God  uses,  reverent  scholarship,  but  Luther  feared 
that  our  secular  universities  would  become  "  the  gates 
of  hell."  Unsanctified  learning  is  now  playing  the 
devil  with  some  of  our  schools  and  churches.  The 
Bible  was  written  mainly  for  plain,  unlettered  men, 
to  be  understood  by  the  spiritual  faculty,  rather  than 
for  great  scholars  and  expert  critics.  It  is  a  sealed 
book  to  the  natural  man.  I.  Cor.  2:  14.  There  are 
perils  as  well  as  advantages  in  freethought  and  the 
right  of  private  judgment  before  God.  "  Liberal 
mathematics  "  will  wreck  a  bank  and  "  liberal  theol- 
ogy "  a  soul.     Seek  true  things  more  than  new  things. 


John  says  :  Whoso  goeth  onward  and  abideth  not  in 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God.  II.  John  9. 
We  need  the  humility  and  simple  faith  of  children. 
Luke  15:  17. 

God  confounds  man's  conceit  by  choosing  for  use 
five  most  contemptible  things  in  man's  eyes.  I.  Cor. 
i:  27-29.  A  preacher  sent  from  God  is  a  specialist,  to 
hear  the  Word  at  his  mouth  and  transmit  it  to  perish- 
ing men.  How  supremely  egotistical  and  rash  for 
him  to  debate  with  God. 

How  can  these  amiable,  intelligent  and  perhaps 
devout  men  as  theists,  who  wish  the  church  no  harm, 
satisfy  their  consciences  while  acting  such  a  part? 
How  dare  they  take  Balak's  gold  and  preach  to  please 
Balak  ?  They  should  see  that  they  are  perverting 
the  church  from  its  historic  faith  and  its  divine  mis- 
sion. They  despise  and  condemn  civic  treason,  but 
do  they  not  violate  their  allegiance  to  Christ  and  the 
Church  ?  Some  have  returned  from  the  mists  of  error 
and  the  pride  of  learning  to  the  orthodox  faith  ;  let 
us  pray  earnestly  that  more  may  follow.  They  may 
claim  that  they  do  not  injure  the  Bible,  but  they  at- 
tack the  very  foundations  of  the  citadel  with  masterly 
skill.  If  we  could  flash  before  their  eyes  the  blessed 
hope  and  fearful  menace  of  the  Coming  of  the  Lord, 
it  might  startle  them.- 

We  are  commanded  to  contend  earnestly  for  the 
faith,  and  what  are  we  to  think  of  a  man  who  does 
not  care  enough  about  his  faith  to  contend  for  it. 

Rationalism,  which  is  the  attempt  to  overshadow 
the  mind  of  God  with  the  mind  of  man,  has  ruined 
the  church  of  Germany,  and  it  is  now  paralyzing  the 
church  of  America.  Feasting  takes  the  place  of  fasting. 


They  cannot  destroy  the  Bible,  for  it  has  the  power 
of  an  endless  life  like  the  "  Eternal  Word,"  but  they 
may  destroy  their  own  and  others'  souls.  John  tells 
us  that  we  are  guilty  if  we  bid  them  God-speed,  or 
even  eat  in  fellowship  with  them.  They  have  helped 
to  bring-  in  "an  age  of  unrest,"  connected  with  the 
perilous,  grevious  and  difficult  times  of  Prophecy. 
11.  Tim.  3:  1-8. 

The  decline  of  old  time  and  influential  confidence 
in  the  inspiration  and  authority  of  God's  Word,  is  the 
radical  cause  of  the  general  increase  of  worldliness 
in  the  Church  and  the  fearful  prevalence  of  general 
lawlessness,  unrestrained  vice  and  gigantic  crime  in 
the  world.     The  fear  of  God  and  of  hell  has  declined. 

When  Jehudi's  penknife  cuts  in  pieces  the  Oracles 
of  God,  it  cuts  loose  the  restraints  of  divine  right- 
eousness and  human  virtue.  Faith  is  the  first  thing, 
the  mother  grace,  and  when  this  declines  all  the  others 
decline  and  lawlessness  reigns. 

The  truth  and  veracity  of  Moses  and  the  Prophets, 
as  well  as  that  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles,  is  the  doc- 
trine of  a  standing  or  a  falling  Church. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CLOSING  APPEAL. 

God  has  some  as  true,  wise  and  faithful  Witnesses 
as  ever  lived  ;  let  me  appeal  to  them. 

But  little  good  and  no  transformation  can  be  effect- 
ed unless  men  and  women  are  clean  vessels  and  pos- 
sess courage  and  the  genuine  martyr  spirit. 

Our  work  is  difficult,  stubborn,  odious  work.     Let 

13 


US  steer  clear  alike  of  the  fatal  pessimism  of  barbar- 
ism, and  the  silly  optimism  of  civilization.  We  must 
not  deal  out  the  malicious  fault-finding  of  an  enemy, 
but  the  faithful  wounds  of  a  friend.  We  must  preach 
Christianity  with   humanity. 

But  tenderloin  is  not  the  stuff  for  these  times.  Cul- 
tivate moral  stamina  and  be  ready  for  either  the  plow 
or  the  altar.  The  unbelief  of  the  age  should  be  met 
by  a  living  and  an  invincible  faith,  its  overwhelming 
worldliness  by  still  greater  unworldliness,  and  its  in- 
difference by  heaven-enkindled  and  quenchless  zeal ! 

Skeptics  and  formalists  may  blame  and  despise  you, 
but  the  "  man  with  the  Ink  Horn  "  will  mark  you  for 
honor  in  the  coming  crisis. 

If,  like  some  of  the  old  prophets,  you  receive  a  sol- 
emn burden  from  God  to  denounce  as  well  as  renounce, 
you  must  have  their  invincible  courage,  utter  self- 
sacrifice  and  mountain  strength.  Any  coward  can 
admire  and  praise  Jesus  Christ,  but  it  takes  a  royal 
liero  to  follow  Him.  Do  not  look  around  to  catch  the 
smiles,  or  shun  the  frowns  of  the  world.  If  the  world 
is  against  you,  you  must  be  against  the  world,  and  if 
no  friendly  faces  shine  upon  you,  look  heavenward 
and  forward.  It  is  not  necessary  for  a  Christian  to 
defend  his  reputation,  or  keep  his  head  on  his  shoul- 
ders. Paul  kept  the  faith  and  lost  his  head,  but  God 
will  give  it  back  some  day,  gloriously  crowned.  A 
setting  star  may  rise  again,  but  a  falling  star  never. 

Be  patient,  and  wage  a  civil  war.  Let  no  provoca- 
tion of  stupidity,  mendacity  or  malice  provoke  you  to 
-copy  the  tableaux  of  Balaam  and  the  ass.  "  And 
Balaam  said  unto  the  ass.  Because  thou  hast  mocked 

14 


me,  I  would  there  were  a  sword  in  my  hand,  for  now 
would  I  kill  thee."     Num.  22:  29;  II.  Tim.  2:  24-26. 

Let  them  exhaust  their  wits,  but  not  }-our  patience. 

If  you  stand  between  the  devil  and  the  deep  sea, 
your  way  out  is  perpendicular.  Turn  away,  then, 
from  all  of  earth's  ambitions  ;  accept  the  cross  and 
grace  of  Jesus ;  be  willing  to  be  nothing  and  nobody  ; 
endure  hardness,  reproach  and  persecution  cheerfully 
for  Christ's  sake,  and  make  you  mark  on  eternity.  If 
a  man  suffers  nothing  for  his  religion,  he  may  well 
fear  that  he  has  none  to  suffer  for. 

Stand  on  the  Holy  Bible  like  a  rock  on  a  rock. 

Call  the  church  to  repentance  with  both  tender  and 
terrific  tones,  in  view  of  her  quickly  coming  Lord. 
Rev.  22:  12.  We  neither  want  the  wild  lire  of  Jehu 
nor  the  cold  caution  of  Thomas,  but  the  wisdom,  zeal 
and  self-sacrifice  of  Paul.  Some  one  says,  however, 
that  a  man  now  who  does  not  sometimes  get  mad  in 
these  days,  is  a  hypocrite  or  a  fool.  Surely  patience 
and  toleration  should  not  degenerate  into  indifference 
and  cowardice.  Woe  unto  them  that  are  at  ease  in 
Zion.     Amos  6:  i. 

The  pulpit  is  a  throne  of  blended  grace  and  judg- 
ment ;  reign  in  it  as  a  legate  of  the  skies,  a  vicegerent 
of  God.  We  are  not  to  preach  merely  "  what  we 
think,"  as  a  result  of  reasoning,  but  what  God  says, 
and  repeat  it  with  divine  authority.  Do  this  and  you 
carry  the  "  Keys"  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

As  the  old  Prophets,  Christ  and  the  Apostles  and 
the  Reformers  foretell :  two  great  moral  forces  will 
contend  in  the  conflict  of  ages,  sometimes  one  domin- 
ating, sometimes  the  other,  until  Christ  comes. 

Our  scaffold  sways  the  future.      "  The  morning  com- 

15 


eth  and  also  the  night,"  Keep  a  sacred  Bridal  heart 
and  spotless  Bridal  robes.  Amid  these  stirring  times 
and  closing  scenes  never  preach  the  Gospel  "  in  cold 
blood,"  but  "  shake  your  heart  out  at  them."  Deliver 
the  stored  energy  of  the  truth  and  Holy  Ghost  from 
your  heart  like  thunder  and  lightning.  We  need  not 
shout,  wear  plumes  or  flaunt  banners  yet,  but  it  is 
supreme  honor  to  live  and  be  faithful  amid  these  clos- 
ing scenes.  War  makes  heroes,  and  the  combat  deep- 
ens. Crowns  are  won  in  battle,  and  the  last  great 
battle  is  on.  It  is  better  now  to  be  a  faithful  son  of 
God  than  to  be  the  son  of  a  hundred  kings.  Hear  the 
heaven-descending  promise  :  '  Behold  I  come  quick- 
ly," the  star-crowned  harbinger  of  day. 

Point  every  eye  to  that  grand  impending  event  on 
which  the  age  hinges  ,  and  which  dazzles  contempla- 
tion !  Heaven  will  not  hold  back  our  glorious  Re- 
deemer much  longer.  Put  on  a  shining  morning  face 
and  keep  on  the  watch,  as  men  of  the  girdle,  the  staff 
and  the  lamp,  fired  with  the  sacred  passion  of  the 
second  life  and  the  age  to  come. 

I  am  an  Optimist,  give  me  time,  "  a  little  while." 
Watch  for — 

"  The  King  that  comes  in  mercy, 
The  King  that  comes  in  might, 
To  terminate  the  evil. 
And  diadem  the  right." 


Union-Sun  Company,  Printers,  lyockport,  N.  Y, 


BS530.M39 

Christ  and  the  Apostles  stand  or  fall 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00037  7541 


